Locomotive arch construction



July 2], 1931: A, H. WILLETT LOCOMOTIVE ARCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Spt.

' I INVENTOR- M/ZM.

ATTORNEY5' Fatentecl july 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED H. WILLETT, OF WEST ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN ARCH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LOOOMOTIVE ARCH CONSTRUCTION Application filed September 22, 1927.- Serial No. 221,174.

This invention has reference to an improved locomotive arch construction and particularly to the formation of the refractory brick used in such locomotive arch whereby to increase the adaptability of said brick to different tube spacings and also to avoid diificulties which have been encountered in the standard or commonly used form of brick due to alterations in the supporting surfaces at the time of the formation or burning of the brick.

In the usual construction of middle brick for locomotive arches known in the trade as the M brick pattern, there is a curved socket at one end which embraces or rests upon a supporting arch tube and an inclined or bevelled part at the other end resting upon the adjacent tube to give a certain degree of adjustability or adaptability to different tube spacings as the inclined surface rides up or down on the tube upon which it rests.

It has been. found in practice that the socket end of these M brick patterns or structures (which is designed for a substantially snug fit upon the supporting tube on which it rests) is not uniform, mainly because this portion is particularly subjected to distortion in the course of manufacture especially in the burning of the brick in the kiln. Furthermore such socket ends when made to fit a tube of a certain diameter do not seat properly on tubes of other diameters. These difficulties have led to the suggestion in some instances, of the substitution of a bevelled end at both ends of the brick in place of the bevelled end and socket, but this as heretofore proposed has been open to the difficulty of allowing the brick to become displaced and fall thru between the tubes when it bounces up and down in the service of the locomotive.

The primary object of my present invention is to secure the advantages of a brick having a bevelled supporting surface at one or both ends, by providing in association therewith suitable means preferably in the shape of an upper and lower projection which will avoid displacement.

In order that my invention may be better 59 understood, I will now proceed to describethe same in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view thru the fire box of a locomotive showing four arch supporting tubes with a series of middle brick and side brick carried thereby.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the mirlldle bricks resting upon two of the tubes, anc

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the brick shown in Fig. 2, on a somewhat smaller scale.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that I have therein indicated at 4 the side sheets of the locomotive fire box against which, on either side, are rested in inclined position, the side brick 5, the inner ends of which are carried by arch supporting tubes 6, the spaces between which in the middle of the arch, are bridged across or closed by means of the M or middle brick 7 of which there are a series of rows in the usual relation.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that on either end of the brick 7 I have provided a sloping or inclined supporting surface 8 adapted to rest against the curved outer surface of the tube 6, this supporting surface being of considerable length diagonally so that if the tubes are of different spacings, as indicated by the dotted line, the brick will still be properly held in position, there being, however, a limit to the movement and a protection for the placement of the brick involved in the provision of the projections 9 and 9a at the top and bottom which come into contact with the tubes at the extreme position of the brick. These projections will serve the purpose of arresting any sliding movement of the brick or any displacement motion such as would perhaps occur from bouncing of the locomotive in service and will thus prevent the brick from falling out of place between the tubes. .The projections 9a will resist any tendency of the brick to bounce upwardly or laterally away from position while the projections 9 on the upper side of the brick will act similarly in a downward direction.

It will be seen that in Fig. 2 there is quite a diilerence in the spacing of the tubes shown in full lines as compared with the tubes shown in dotted lines and in practice I have found it possible to get a very wide range of variation with the use of the same brick which of i course, reduces the number of: pat terns which have tob'e canried instbcki In addition, thebricks here disclosed, eithenside.

surface, one extendingalong'the upper" andone along thelower edgethereoflrespective ly' the: distance: between the ribs of a pair bearing: such a: relation to the tube diameterthat at least one rib of the pair will be outof contact with the tube in any." nor ma'l positi'on of the'bricka 2. In combination with a pair of loco1notive arch supporting Ine'mbersa refractory brick having: means? o'fi adjustable contact withsaidisupporting: members: at each end of the br-iclgsaid means?v on at least one endof the brickincluding" an inclined surface in sliding; contact with the respective 1116111 bergand: projections. at said end atto'p' and bottom of said surface to prevent displacemenu of said brick from the supporting members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.- w r ALFRED WILLETTI 

